Table 2 ISAR patient inclusion and exclusion criteria

Adult (≥18 years old) patients with severe asthma

Lack of informed consent for participation

Undergoing GINA Step 5 treatment^a [19] or

Uncontrolled on GINA Step 4 treatment [19]

Uncontrolled defined as at least one of the following (per ATS/ERS guidelines [5]):

Poor symptom control: ACQ consistently > 1.5, ACT < 20 (or ‘not well controlled’) [19]

Airflow limitation: Pre-bronchodilator FEV₁ < 80% predicted, with reduced FEV₁/FVC (defined as less than the lower limit of normal)

Serious exacerbations: ≥1 hospitalisation, ICU stay or mechanical ventilation in the previous year

Frequent severe exacerbations: ≥2 bursts of systemic corticosteroids with each course > 3 days in the previous year